CA- 6 people found shot to death in remote desert area of El Mirage - Jan 2024 *ARRESTS*

[Knox]

An investigation is underway after five people were found shot to death in a remote desert area in the community of El Mirage.

The bodies were discovered around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday when deputies responded to a welfare check off Highway 395 between Lake Los Angeles and Adelanto, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Mara Rodriguez said.

The circumstances around the deaths remain unclear but all of the victims were fatally shot, Victory Valley News Group reported.

Images from the scene showed a vehicle partially covered by brush that appeared to have bullet holes in it.

No information about the identities of the victims has been released.

6 people found shot to death in the Mojave Desert

A remote dirt crossroads in the Mojave Desert was the scene of a grisly discovery Tuesday night. Six people, likely shot to death, were found near two vehicles, including one that was riddled with …

ktla.com

 

[MadMcGoo]

The article has since been updated to include that a sixth body was discovered at the scene, which is about 15 miles north of Adelanto and 20 miles north of Victorville.

6 people found shot to death in the Mojave Desert

A remote dirt crossroads in the Mojave Desert was the scene of a grisly discovery Tuesday night. Six people, likely shot to death, were found near two vehicles, including one that was riddled with …

ktla.com

Some of the bodies also appeared to have been burned but that has not been confirmed by officials.

[…]

One, a dark-colored SUV was riddled with bullet holes and appeared to have some of its windows blown out.

The other was a light-colored van facing the opposite direction. It was unclear if there was any damage to that vehicle. <MORE AT LINK>

 

[ifindedout]

Knox's VVNG link from KTLA has a Google map with the approximate location:

Shadow Mountain Rd & Lessing Ave · California

Intersection

www.google.com

VVNG story

UPDATE: Six Bodies Found Near Highway 395 near Adelanto; Investigation Underway

UPDATE 9:30 am: During a Wednesday morning update sheriff’s officials confirmed a sixth deceased person was located, bringing the total to six. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (VVNG.com) – Five people were found shot dead near Highway 395 Tuesday night, prompting an investigation. The grim find was made...

www.vvng.com

 

[ifindedout]

Approximate CS location on Bing Maps Streetside (hills in background match up with news video; also what is shown as Lessing Ave. on maps is actually Green Bush Ave. in the field)

Bing Maps

Map multiple locations, get transit/walking/driving directions, view live traffic conditions, plan trips, view satellite, aerial and street side imagery. Do more with Bing Maps.

www.bing.com

 

[Knox]

 

[Knox]

Authorities were still gathering evidence to determine what happened, and Rodriguez said they could not say even how the people died or whether they had been shot. The area, about 50 miles northeast of Los Angeles and about 20 miles northwest of Victorville, is so remote that the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department called in help from the California Highway Patrol’s Aviation Division to find the scene, Rodriguez said.

6 bodies found in Southern California desert near El Mirage

Deputies found the bodies of six people at a remote dirt crossroads in the Mojave Desert in Southern California, a scene described as so grisly that TV stations blurred some of the images captured by their helicopters overhead.

www.kcra.com

 

[MAHBOOBOO]

So... two cars, 6 dead people, blood on the ground in what looks to have been a shoot out, on a dark desert road that leads to a small community with few houses OR to a private airport with fuel onsite, <modsnip - insinuations/sleuthing people who have not been named POI by LE.

Info about the nearby airport: AirNav: CA70 - Sun Hill Ranch Airport

 

[Knox]

Curious who reported the "welfare check" to LE and what time the call came in?

 

[MAHBOOBOO]

Curious who reported the "welfare check" to LE and what time the call came in?

I think the call came in at 8 p.m. Copying this from the WVNG article in Post #3.

"The grim find was made late Tuesday evening on January 23, 2024, around 8pm. Deputies were dispatched to the site, positioned north of Victorville, arriving approximately 15 minutes after the initial call to conduct a welfare check."

 

[MadMcGoo]

Curious who reported the "welfare check" to LE and what time the call came in?

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[formerlyme]

pretty fast arrival for a welfare check.... my guessing more details were provided.

 

[AmandaSkis]

And what is the welfare check for? "Please check on my friends who are in the middle of the desert in El Mirage?"

"The area, about 50 miles northeast of Los Angeles and about 20 miles northwest of Victorville, is so remote that the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department called in help from the California Highway Patrol’s Aviation Division to find the scene, Rodriguez said."

I wonder who called in a welfare check and how it was worded.

 

[Knox]

Cartel or Gang?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Or a family.

 

[Ravenmoon]

I was wondering the same thing.

My best guess would be someone who was planning to camp or leaving the area of the dry lake bed
People go out there to race and off-road apparently.


JMO

 

[Ravenmoon]

Link to the El Mirage website

El Mirage

 

[tlcya]

“We have not confirmed the sex or the age of any of the decedents at this point,” Rodriguez said.

The circumstances around the deaths were also unconfirmed however Victor Valley News Group reported the victims had been fatally shot.

The bodies of multiple bloodied victims could be seen strewn about the ground with dozens of evidence markers and bullet casings surrounding them.

Some of the bodies also appeared to have been burned.

Sky5 was over the scene at 8 a.m. but the images were too graphic to air.
6 people found shot to death in remote desert area of El Mirage

what on earth happened here? following.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

This is unreal. Following.

 

[OddOneOut]

JMO, the bullet holes in the driver's window, both backseat doors open, and the placement of the vehicles makes me wonder if the driver was killed and the others jumped from the vehicle and were shot trying to run away. The van may have been chasing the suv since reports don't mention any bullet holes in it. This could be road rage, murder-suicide, drug cartels, etc.

 

[formerlyme]

the number of victims, the two vehicles (if it was involved) have me thinking gun fight.